


Shangri-La

by istherecolour



Category: VIXX
Genre: 2+1 fic, Alternate Universe - College/University, Cameos, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pining, Scheming Friends, all fluff, im screaming i love vixx
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-12-17 08:16:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11847585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/istherecolour/pseuds/istherecolour
Summary: “You . . . come to my room at quarter to twelve . . . for paper?” It’s stupid.This whole situation is completely and utterly stupid because Taekwoon can’t confess as easily as he thought.“Yes.” He lies and watches how Hakyeon stares at him blankly before smiling once again. “I – yes. I need paper. Please.”Awkwardly shuffling around him, Hakyeon opens his door and blindly drops all his food onto his bed with a content sigh.[two times taekwoon wanted to confess and one time he doesn’t need too.]





	Shangri-La

**Author's Note:**

> ive become a starlight.......i love vixx also leo....anyway this isnt as good as ive thought but also i love the thought of friends to lovers too much. as always comment, sub and leave kudos' x

0.

It starts like this; Jung Taekwoon moves dormitories.

He moves from the east dorms to the south facing dorms by the music and art departments. It’s a hot and brutal day at the start of summer when he moves, lugging heavy cardboard boxes that feel like they’ll break under his grip while simultaneously wiping sweat from his face. With an aching body each time he climbs the set of stairs, fumbles around with the keys in the lock before opening the door and going to his new, assigned room. _It could be worse,_ he thinks. Taekwoon’s room is nice; bigger than his last with a desk push against the wall, his _double_ bed on the other and a small bathroom fit for one person.

But, that’s not really the point.

The point is that summer is here and instead of, you know, doing nothing with his time and binge watching whatever he can find – Taekwoon takes summer classes for pre-med, makes friends with his new dorm mate, Jaehwan and Sanghyuk (who likes to bother him. _A lot._ But, it’s not unwanted as it used to be, Taekwoon strangely got used to them.) They share greasy take-outs, watch terrible Chinese films, study together and have fun. He finds his classes long, the studying longer and the coffee terrible – but that won’t stop him from passively demanding four shots in his Americano.

This doesn’t last, despite Taekwoon dreams of it lasting forever. He passes all the tests during the summer – top of his class. The days are slowly getting longer, the hues in the sky are brighter; oranges turn into pinks and pinks turn into violet and so on. Trudging back from class, Taekwoon watches a leaf fall in front of him, crumbling like sand in his hand.

Suddenly, the end of summer is here and the dorms are being filled up like water in a pool. And Taekwoon doesn’t mind much, the noise is better than the silence – even if it’s Sungjae practicing monologues at weird times at night or Peniel and Ilhoon both talking a bit _too_ loudly in the opposite room. The only thing – _person –_ that bothered him was their RA.

Cha Hakyeon.

Taekwoon doesn’t know what it is that bothers him so much about their RA – maybe because he’s just . . .  _always_ around. With a stupid _cute_ smile across his face and always wanting to help in any way possible.

“You don’t like Hakyeon sunbae?” Jaehwan had turned the straw in his drink around and around, making the ice cubes move in sync, letting them clink together too many times to count. They both sat in Starbucks a few weeks after everyone moved in. “Wow, hyung. You’re too much.” Jaehwan had scoffed.

“What do you mean I’m ‘ _too much’_?” Taekwoon had spluttered back, voice soft and his eyes roaming over the table. “Hakyeon-ssi is loud. And he likes to do group activities like movie watching and learning how to cook. He’s too much, if I say so myself.” Jaehwan had stared at him, unblinking.

“Sunbae being nice and offering to help us . . . a crime truly heinous.” Jaehwan mumbled out. Taekwoon had frowned at that, mouth parting to throw some curses his way but he closed his mouth. When Jaehwan puts it like that, Taekwoon does sounds stupid, like completely ridiculous for getting annoyed at Hakyeon for the smallest of things.

“Shut up.” Is Taekwoons weak retort and sips his Americano.

“Hyung, have you ever thought you not liking sunbae has something else to do with it?” Taekwoon eyes up Jaehwan with his fingers curling around the cup and the way he had sat up in his chair.

“What are you talking about?” Jaehwan nervously played with his drink. Taekwoon frowned deeper, like that’s possible. “Jaehwan-ah.”

“Hyung,” Jaehwan says in a pleading tone, wincing at his tone of the words. “What I’m going to say, I say this because I love and care for you. We all do - ,”

“– oh, my god, what has Sanghyuk said –,”

“– _we_ ,” Jaehwan said, clasping his hands together, sighing deeply. “We both think that the reason you don’t like sunbae is because you . . . well, have a crush on him.” Taekwoon stared at Jaehwan, unblinking before he promptly chokes on whatever is in his throat at the time.

“What – where – how did you even come up with that?” Taekwoon demanded with his cheeks flushing like crazy and his eyes widening.  “Wow, Jaehwan-ah. You need to stop drinking. And talking to Sanghyuk.” That was . . . the _stupidest_ thing Jaehwan has ever said. And this is _Jaehwan_ he’s talking about.

“It was just a thought!” Jaehwan had defended himself, holding his hand in defence.

“Hey, why would I like Cha Hakyeon? He’s annoying. And loud. And always smiling, like who’s _that_ happy! No one. Not to mention, _okay,_ he’s really passionate about everything and doesn’t look completely dead inside. Taekwoon refuses to believe someone like that truly exists in this world.  Jaehwan stares at him, eyes moving side to side. “What?”

“Hyung, this is why we think you like him. You’re really passionate about hating him, and it’s like ‘ _oh, do you_ really _hate him?’_ I think you haven’t spoken to sunbae properly.”

“Why did I buy you coffee?” Taekwoon mumbled out bitterly at the way Jaehwan blowed him a kiss across the table. They didn’t talk about it for the rest of the time they’re out but it did play on Taekwoons’ mind.

Does he secretly have feelings for his RA, he thought.

No.

Not at all.

And why _would_ he? Sure, Hakyeon is attractive; dark skin, thick lips, soft looking eyes and a smile to die for. A brilliant personality, not to mention he’s so kind and caring with the way he looks out for everyone but he can be stern . . . like a mom – wait, where is Taekwoon going with this? Actually what was he talking about now, he’s digressing.

Right, that’s it.

He doesn’t have feelings for his RA.

Not in the slightest.

And Taekwoon convinces himself this for exactly three weeks. The heat of summer slowly goes down and Taekwoon begins to notice the way the sky colours itself with the clouds drifting across so easily. Each day is an excuse for why he stares at Hakyeon – because he looks stupid in that polo shirt, because there’s mustard on the corner of his lip, because he’s laughing too loudly, because . . . _well,_ just because.

Taekwoon tells himself he doesn’t like it when Hakyeon offers to buy him coffee or make him food or correct his answers when he’s studying in the lounge. He doesn’t like when Hakyeon laughs and lights up the room or the way he cries while watching almost _any_ film.

But wait – how does he even know all of this? About everything Hakyeon does.

Maybe Jaehwan has a point.

 

i.

Inhaling deeply, Taekwoon stands outside of Haekyeons’ room.

His hands are curled up like he’s going to knock but he feels too stiff, too stoic to actually do it. The plan is – well _was –_ to confess quickly and quietly. To mumble out a half-assed confession with his eyes not meeting Hakyeons; so he can return back to his room and sleep off the embarrassment.

The best way to get over a crush is just to say how you feel upfront, no matter what.

Because, nine times out ten, they won’t feel the same way and you can go on life with the rejection hanging over your head like a raincloud and let it pass. Taekwoon likes to refer to this a ripping of a bandaid of his skin as quickly as possible – Hakyeon being the bandaid, _obviously._

He can do this, definitely.

Probably.

Like, forty nine percent sure he can do this.

_Totally._

Probably less because now that he thinks about it, what the _hell_ was he even going to say? Taekwoon, unsurprisingly, isn’t good with words. Or speaking. Or anything that requires minimal social interaction. Maybe he can just, you know, blurt it out and never speak to Hakyeon again. If he’s correct, Seokjin is looking for a roommate and –

“Taekwoon-ah!” Turning, Hakyeon shuffles towards Taekwoon from the kitchen, arms filled with different kinds of drinks and snacks. “Is there something you needed? It’s late you know.” Right. Taekwoon had been so distracted with finding the right words to say and how he was going to say it, he didn’t realise that darkness coated the sky with the stars shining brightly and the hallway light illuminating them both. “Are you okay?”

And this is it.

Taekwoon needs to confess _now_.

He coughs into his hand and looks up to Hakyeon looking at him with those big, brown eyes. They’re filling with concern and the way his head tilts and – _holy shit_ , no he can’t do it. He can’t confess, why did he think this was a good idea in the first place?

“Taekwoon . . .?”

“I,” Taekwoon starts off slowly, fingers curling around his t-shirt. “I wanted to know if . . .  if you had some paper.” Hakyeon blinks a few times, his lips curling up slowly as if he’s repeating the sentence in his head.

“You . . . come to my room at quarter to twelve . . . for paper?” It’s stupid.

This whole situation is completely and utterly stupid because Taekwoon can’t confess as easily as he thought.

“Yes.” He lies and watches how Hakyeon stares at him blankly before smiling once again. “I – yes. I need paper. Please.” Awkwardly shuffling around him, Hakyeon opens his door and blindly drops all his food onto his bed with a content sigh.

“Ignore the mess, I didn’t expect guests.” Taekwoon feels almost _intrusive_ for entering Hakyeons room. Of course, he’s seen it – the times he’s stumbled past when drunk, the times when he rushing to class or work or to meet Jaehwan. But this is different, Taekwoon is in his room _purposely_ with his eyes wondering all over to see different posters, books, the way his desk is so unorganised with everything all over the place and his laptop sat in the middle of the mess. He doesn’t even see Hakeyon staring at him with a longing expression.

“Here.” he extends out his hands, holding the paper between his fingertips. “I gave you a little bit more, you know, just in case you run out.” Taekwoon gets embarrassed easily and right now, he’s bright pink with his cheeks flushing; skin all prickly and his ears red.

“T-Thanks.” He awkwardly says and takes the paper. Taekwoon ignores the way their fingers brush together and turns facing the door and moves just as quickly as he did to his room. He slams his door close and throws the paper on his desk, flopping face first on his bed.

 _That could of gone better,_ he thinks sadly.

 

ii.

“So, you need _my_ help. Is that what you’re saying, hyung?” Jaehwan is many things.

Charming and charismatic person is just a few of those things on the very, very long list. They sit in the library – Jaehwan not actually doing any work and more or less using this opportunity to stare at Hani from their table in the centre while Taekwoon has his book spilled over and pen tapping against the table. “You have to say it so I can understand, you see.”

“Shut up, Jaehwan.” Taekwoon says but there’s no heat to his words. More embarrassment than anything. Is he _really_ asking a second year for love advice – especially when Jaehwan is terrible with his own love life as well? “Look, if you won’t -,”

“– hold up there,” Jaehwan says quickly, eyes wide. “I never said I _wouldn’t,_ I just want you to acknowledge I’m right.” Taekwoon blinks at him. “About, you know, you’re crush on our precious RA.” One of these days, Taekwoon had thought many times, he’s going to kill Jaehwan. With his bare hands wrapped around his throat, pushing down on his windpipe while he struggles for breath and claws against his hands –

“Fine.” Taekwoon begrudgingly admits, dropping his pen on the table. “You’re . . . you’re right, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear you cretin?” Jaehwan beams at that. “Will you help me then?” Because it’s been exactly three _long_ days since he’s spoken to Hakyeon. Thank God that Hakyeon takes morning classes and has some part time job that keeps him busy during the week so Taekwoon can successfully avoid him.

“Of course! Anything for my favourite hyung!” Jaehwan says happily, placing his bag on the table and pulling out his phone first, fingers tapping at the screen happily before tugging out a water bottle. “You know,” he idly says, tipping some of the water in his hand and tapping it all over his face. “I always knew this day would come. You coming to _me_ for help –,”

“– Jesus Christ, this was a bad idea –,”

“– and you know what? This is the best day of my life. When this is over, you can thank me by buying dinner for me.” Jaehwan proceeds to tip the rest of the water over his face. Before Taekwoon can say anything – or rather question what he was doing – Jaehwan throws from the comfort of his chair to the ground.

Face first.

The library – with its soft mumbles from small study groups and rapid typing on the laptop – goes deathly quiet.

Jaehwan yells.

Taekwoon is going to kill him. He was going to probably rip his throat out of his neck with his bare hands -

“Hey, what’s going on?” Taekwoon turns around to see Hakyeon moving towards them quickly, eyes widening in shock and panic as he pushes the library trolley towards them. It takes a glance; Hakyeon wearing a shirt with a name badge to the cart to realise what’s going on. “Jaehwan-ah? Are you okay?”

“Sunbae!” Jaehwan says, rolling onto his back, heaving loudly. He presses one hand on his chest and the other lies lifelessly on the ground. “I feel so ill.” He whines, coughing. “I could _die,_ sunbae. Hyung and you should take me to the medical room because I’m _way_ too weak to walk.” Taekwoon would assume that Hakyeon would find this acting – since he’s an acting major terrible – but if anything, he believes it, nodding his head and moving to the floor to scoop up him up. Taekwoon stares at the sight, unbelieving this is really happening to him.

“You should take his stuff,” Hakyeon advises with a small smile.

Somehow, Taekwoon grabs their stuff and trudges behind them towards the medical room.

Jaehwan is many things and a dead man is going to be one of those things when Taekwoon is finished with him. Why did he think this was a good idea again? Oh that’s right, he didn’t but with his lack of friends and social skills, Jaehwan is the only person he knows who has some sort of self-confidence

It’s not a long walk – filled with Jaehwan over exaggerating and Hakyeon trying to calm him down – when they get to medical bay. Hakyeon opens the door and shuffles him towards a free bed.

“Oh, Jaehwan-ah. What are you doing here, are you sick?” Sungjae pops his head around the curtain, a small smile playing on his lips.  Jaehwan coughs loudly, hand patting his chest. Taekwoon is really going to kill him. “Wow, you look really ill.” Hakyeon looks up at him, wide eyes – he looks so shocked and concerned.

“He does?” Taekwoon deadpans while Hakyeon says it out of sheer concern. Staring at Sungjae disbelieving, Taekwoon lets out a deep sigh. Where they both _really_ doing this?

“Yeah,” Sungjae says, shaking his head, feigning concern as best as he could. “I should know, I’m a pre-med student, hyungs.” Jaehwan coughs loudly and when Hakyeon turns away, he gives Taekwoon thumbs up. Taekwoon glares at him silently. All the will-power to _not_ try and kill both these idiots are unusually high today.

“Wow, well uh, okay then.” Hakyeon says, clasping his hands together, turning back. “Do you need anything, Jaehwan-ah? You look like you’re going to be in here for a while.” Jaehwan flops his head to the side, nodding.

“Water.” He mumbles out, head flopping to the side. “Lots of water please, sunbae.” Taekwoon is _seriously_ thinking about getting new friends. How this plan is even supposed to work anyway is beyond Taekwoon? Yeah, Taekwoon needs some new friends because Sungjae is just as dead as Jaehwan because when Hakyeon leaves this room –

“Hey, it’s okay.” a hand curls around his upper arm, sending volts and volts of electricity down his body. “Jaehwan-ah is a fighter. There’s no need to look so upset.” Hakyeon has nice hands; they’re big yet soft – with veins traveling across his hand and up his arm like a river. The soft squeeze honestly makes Taekwoon breathless. “Put your stuff down and let’s get some air okay?”

At this time of day, when classes are still on and the campus is empty, the canteen is a safe zone for free wifi, refillable coffee and just pleasantly quietness. Taekwoon stands nervously by Hakeyon, watching him be all (cute and) indecisive about what drink to get by the vending machine. Taekwoon has watched him hesitantly reach out to punch in the numbers on the machine but retracted his hand just as quickly, mumbling something under his breath.

“Does Jaehwan like orange juice?” Hakyeon mumbles out loud and turns his head to Taekwoon. Jesus Christ, why is Hakyeons’ side profile so good? His jaw is so sharp and – _fuck,_ is Hakyeon wearing eyeliner. The light makes him so ethereal like an angel or something better than an angel.

A _super_ angel.

“Yes.” He squeaks out, blinking rapidly. Taekwoon wishes he could clone himself so his other self could just obliterate him and throw him out of the window. Hakyeon smiles and _oh my God,_ why is his smile so sweet and soft. “Um, he does. A lot.” Hakyeon turns back and digs around his pocket before he freezes, groaning.

“Damn, I must off left my wallet back in the library.”

“It’s okay,” Taekwoon says. “I . . . I have change.” His hand digs through his pocket and pulls out a few coins. Hakyeon stares at him – almost longingly with the way Taekwoon slides the coins in and presses the buttons and takes the drink. “What?”

“Nothing,” Hakyeon says, lips pulling into a smile. “I just . . . I wonder what you think sometimes. You always seem so lost in your own thoughts.” Taekwoon looks down at his feet, nervously laughing. “Fuck, I – I didn’t mean to insult you or anything. You’re just really . . . you’re just so quiet – not that it’s a bad thing and I just wonder what you think sometimes.” _You,_ Taekwoon wants to say because the word sits on the tip of his tongue. _I think about your smile,_ he wants to say but instead he says:

“Not much. I’m pretty much boring.” Not _as_ poetic but . . . but it’s something he supposes. Hakyeon smiles.

“What’s your favourite colour?”

“Blue.”

“Favourite food?”

“Anything that I can eat.”

“Favourite film?”

“Sky of love.”

“See?” Hakyeon says with a chuckle. “You’re not boring. Maybe just shy.” Taekwoon doesn’t know _why_ but those words make him flush. A warmth spreads through his chest while his cheeks colour pink. “I also like the sky of love.”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s watch it later, okay?” Taekwoon feels light headed. The warmth in his chest fills up his body and a smile on his face blooms like flower. He can’t help but look down at his hands, more embarrassed than anything. “Come to my room for ten.” Taekwoon nods. “For now, let’s get this drink back to Jaehwan.”

And the words on the tip of his tongue – _like a date?_ And he could say it. He could easily reach out and tug Hakyeon back and ask that all important question or maybe even confess. It’d be so easy – he’d just blurt out those three words ‘I like you.’

“H-Hakyeon!” Turning around, he looks at Taekwoon. It’s different from the first time he looked at him, this time he looked apprehensive, like he’s expecting something this time. His eyes soften and his smile turns coy.

“Yes?” Taekwoon swallows. He should ask – because his heart is screaming to say something, maybe _anything_ but his mind is _way_ too pragmatic to say anything stupid and reckless.

“I . . . do you want me to take the drink?” Hakyeon falters but his smile doesn’t.

 

+1

“So,” Jaehwan rubs his hands together in typical scheming fashion. “You have a date thanks to Sungjae and me.” He looks so proud with the way he lies on the bed, limbs stretched out and his face glowing. Taekwoon tugs off his shirt and picks up a jumper. “I like hot chocolate and muffins, hyung.”

“It’s not even a date, you know.” Taekwoon mumbles. “He just wants to watch this film with me. It doesn’t even mean anything.” Jaehwan scoffs. “What?” He slips the jumper over his head and stares at himself in the mirror.

“I think you’re wrong, hyung.” Jaehwan moves onto his stomach. “If it didn’t mean anything, you wouldn’t be here trying on clothes.” A good point, Taekwoon thinks bitterly. He wouldn’t be smoothing out the jumper creases and wiggling his feet in his socks (the only matching pair he has.)

“Shut up.” He uneasily mumbles. “And don’t you have other friends you can go and bother besides me?” Jaehwan snickers and Taekwoon turns back to the mirror. Why is he like this? “Do I look okay as well?”

“If I was into guys, I would be all over you right now.” Jaehwan says. Taekwoon cringes at those words. There are just _some_ things you don’t want to think about or even imagine and that’s Jaehwan being all Taekwoon like a rash.

“Thanks, Jaehwan.” He says, sheepishly says. As he turns back to the mirror, a knock on the door gets their attention. “Um, come in?” The door creaks open with the door knob twisting round a few times to reveal Hakyeon standing there. Huh?

“Oh, Jaehwan-ah, I thought I heard your voice.” Hakyeon says softly. Jaehwan smiles, coughing into his hand.

“I feel better, sunbae.” He says after a moment or so with a soft smile.

“I’m glad. I was wondering if you could get Wonshik for me. I think he’s downstairs with Eunji and Hani.” Jaehwan sits up straight, looking like he could jump over Hakyeon to get downstairs. “Hani is saying something about wanting to go out and watch some movie . . .” In the four months Jaehwan and Taekwoon have been friends, he can say now he’s never seen Jaehwan move so fast in his life. One minute Jaehwan is lying on his bed, the next he’s slipping into his shoes and sliding out of the room like it was nothing, waving them both off quickly. Hakyeon closes the door behind him. “You look nice.”

“Oh . . . thanks.” Taehwoon mumbles, self-conciously tugging at the hem of the jumper. “I thought, um, we were hanging out in your room.” Hakyeon nods, stepping forward in the room.

“We are,” Hakyeon says easily. “I wanted to tell you something.” Taekwoon doesn’t realising he’s backing away until he’s pressed up against his desk, hands clumsily knocking everything over. “You’re cute when your nervous, Taekwoonie.” His entire mouth goes dry and, if it’s possible, his brain implodes.

“What -,”

“– I like you.” Hakyeon is standing right in front of him, smiling at him fondly. “And I shouldn’t since I’m your RA. But you have this thing about you – all tsundere but not really.” Taekwoon eyes are wide, unblinking. “You’re really shy but you’re also really sweet and soft spoken and shy.”

“H-Hakyeon –,”

“ – I understand if you don’t feel the same,” Hakyeon reaches up, fingers brushing over Taekwoons face. “But I’m probably right in thinking you do, right?” Taekwoon leans into the touch, eyes down casted.

“I do.” His voice is nothing but a whisper. Hakyeon smells _good_ , like wild berries and coconuts. It takes exactly one second for them both to connect their lips together; Hakyeon is a good kisser, taking Taekwoons’ face in his hand and moving his lips against his like they have all the time in the world. It’s innocent – nothing but kissing with a little bit of tongue (Taekwoon can’t help it) and when they finally pull away, Taekwoon goes red.

“Don’t get shy on me, Woonie. I thought we have a film to watch?”

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr - ttongsuk.


End file.
